After a powerful showing at Thursday night’s Board of Directors meeting, we returned to mediation Friday for another protracted session. The College’s latest offer remains inadequate: 1% for 2025/26 (still not retroactive), 3% for 2026/27, and a one-time lump sum payment of $615. We did see positive engagement around our MOU for Stability of Course Offerings.
While administration signaled urgency yesterday morning with an alert about the upcoming grades deadline, their actions at the table told a different story. In the afternoon, they brought in legal counsel who advised them against engaging with us on certain topics. (As some of our kids might say, “weird flex but ok”)
We continue to receive strong support from elected officials, several of whom were in attendance at Thursday’s board event. Yesterday we spoke with US Senator Ron Wyden’s staff, an Oregon Higher Education Coordinating Commissioner, and OR State Representative Travis Nelson joined the Cascade Picket line. All have promised to do what they can to get the administration to move closer to agreement. We know many state and federal leaders are directly contacting President Bennings to urge movement. Media coverage continues to be overwhelmingly favorable to us. We are even starting to get inquiries from press with a national audience. Most heartening of all, today’s picket lines were energized and well attended.
We are not where we need to be yet, but momentum is building, and a strong agreement is within reach if we keep the pressure on. This weekend we are working on a more in-depth message about where things stand, but we wanted to get this update out quickly since we know so many of you are waiting for it.
We will meet again on Sunday afternoon. We hold the line.